Robinson asked to repay mortgage interest in expenses audit

The North's First Minister Peter Robinson said tonight that Thomas Legg asked him to repay £299 (€320.49) mortgage interest he claimed on his parliamentary expenses.

The DUP leader said he believed the provisional conclusion was wrong but payment would be made and he would take it up with Legg later.

Earlier SDLP leader and Foyle MP Mark Durkan said he had been told to pay back £236 (€252.98) relating to the overpayment of council tax in 2006 and his wife’s share of a London hotel bill.

His party colleague Alasdair McDonnell, MP for South Belfast, said he received a letter from Legg and had not been asked to repay anything.

Mr Robinson, MP for East Belfast, said he and his DUP MP colleagues had all received their letters from Legg in relation to their expenses during a five-year period.

He said: “I have made it clear that there should be no equivocation or quibbling over any repayment and that all payments should be made immediately. Where there are genuine disputes about his provisional conclusions, these can be followed up but we will accept entirely Sir Thomas Legg’s final determination.”

He added: “As far as my own expenses are concerned, despite the press hullabaloo previously, Sir Thomas has only raised a question about £299 (€320.49) over a five-year period, in relation to a variation of mortgage interest payments.

“I believe his provisional conclusion on this matter is flawed but I will abide by the way set out and payment will be made and I will follow up this disputed element with Sir Thomas.”

He said the party was collating the information for the rest of the Parliamentary party and would publish the information very shortly.

Sinn Féin said it did not have a permanent presence at Westminster and was sending someone to collect its MPs’ letters.